@jacob, thanks for all the great insights. I should probably add to my thoughts by stating I have a very high ambient body temperature. As in, 1 being a freezer, 10 being a kerosene heater, I am probably 8-9 (which I hope is a sign of great health!). I even had a stranger ask me this week if I was cold (while waiting for the bus), to which I responded 'nope!'. It was 55F and breezy yet all I had on was a cotton button down and undershirt. Yesterday I nearly baked to death on the bus since they had the heat on and I was sitting in the sun with a light jacket on.

How would you rate your ambient body temp?

So perhaps a wool Filson (or similar) is not the ideal solution since it probably would only be useful during 1-2 weeks per year. I have never had to be out long during the dark days of February (always have a warm car in a garage), so maybe just layering what I have would be effective. Its worth a shot. As J_L13, Ego & C40 pointed out, this can be very effective.

Highly variable depending on how fast I move; how fast I've most recently moved (afterburn effect); and how long since I've eaten last (IF alone causes a range between maybe 3 (afternoon) and 7 (after dinner)). However, one of the great things about wool is that it's very good at regulating temperature because it traps much more air than synthetics.

Jackets are the best buy in winters as they not only protect you from the biting cold but also give a great look overall! Recently my sister brought this really wonderful jacket through internet and even though its her uniform she still wears it outside by teaming it with matching shrits and t-shirt and it looks good.

I've given up on a single jacket/coat solution. I have a light breathable nylon rain suit for May-October (for latitudes of 42N to 48N), the brand might be columbia but it's not important, there are several reasonable brands for about $60. I bought it one size too large so I can get a couple layers underneath it. I also have a middle weight wind/water resistant jacket (Cabelas Brand) that covers all but the coldest winter days here in Alabama. I bought that jacket on > 50% off for about $80 dollars. Then I have a generic "winter coat", Columbia, that I got for 50% off at Kohls, and in a pinch visiting family in Illinois in Dec/January I'll wear the middle weight jacket under it (did it one morning when the air temp was -14F. If I ever decide to use my cabin in winter I might need an upgraded solution. Three times so far this winter the air temp has been below -31F in the nearest town (18 miles southwest), and I've lost count of the days below -20F. Christmas day the high was -18F.

The best single coat I ever had was an old Navy peacoat picked up from an Army/Navy surplus when I was in school for $5 (back when surplus stores were still selling real surplus). The thing must have weighed 10 lbs. Could wear it open during moderate weather, it was thick enough to hold a lot of water (never had it soak all the way through walking 1-2 miles to class daily) and keep the wind out. I think my ex- helped it get lost during a move. It was used when I bought it, and I put a lot of miles on it myself. It was also extremely unfashionable, which I liked.

I own a Columbia coat that is comfortable from 35F to 50F depending on the sweater worn underneath. Once the temps dip below 32F I use a sweater and a Northface fall jacket under the winter coat; this setup is good to about 17F. Anything below 17F I use thermal underwear and snow pants which I’ve been comfortable in -7F and a will chill factor of -20F. I regulate my temps by zipping/unzipping layers. Obviously this setup isn’t for everyone but I get a ton of utility out of my fall/winter gear and I’m never cold. My headgear is wool or fleece lined with 3M thinsulate. My boots are field&stream 3M insulated - never had cold feet since purchasing them.

Do you see any value (practical, social, esthetical) in high-end winter jackets such as Canada Goose (average price tag is around $1,000) or Moncler (average price tag is $1,500)? They are in BIFL category. They are definitely ridiculous for a wage slave to buy. But what about an independently wealthy person? Do you perceive a corresponding uptick in quality as compared to, let's say, North Face or Patagonia? Is it just a gimmick to separate fools from their money? Here are a couple of examples:

Down jackets get kind of nasty and stinky after awhile, even if washed with the special soap and tennis balls. They also wear out fairly fast since they are worn practically every day in winter for months. Tears, threads coming out, etc. I would not spend more than the 200-300 range. I bought one in that range and my only complaint is that it was overkill, I found myself getting very overheated even with pitzips. I would probably have been better served with a wind shell and a sweater or two at much less cost.

I've resurrected this thread because I am traveling to Russia to visit my parents. I've always visited them during the summer, but my mom may not make it to this summer. Last time I spent Winter in Russia papa Bush was in office, so I have nothing to wear. I've looked at Craiglist for a month - nothing there. With just a few days left I have to buy something, probably in REI (I don't know any better). It has to be warm and lightweight - I am traveling with a carry on only. The expected weather range is 23-33 degree F.

They also wear out fairly fast since they are worn practically every day in winter for months.

@Augustus:
I have to survive for 10 days. I am thinking of cheaper solutions, but don't see any. Durability is not my concern - I live in California.

Wasn’t Neiman Marcus enough?

Never again... I promise you! I was just wondering... From a practical standpoint, I don't perceive any additional value beyond social signaling. Do you? For me personally, it would be a lie - a wage slave in a $1000 jacket is still a wage slave. I want freedom. I want independent means and independent thoughts. I also need to survive for 10 days in Saint Petersburg. Walking from my parents' apartment to a subway station - 20 minutes. Waiting at a bus stop - 20 minutes. Waiting for an Uber - 20 minutes. 20 minutes in 23 degrees F is COLD. I am not going to buy a $1000 coat, but shopping for it is free (unless you buy one).

I don't want to be signaling wealth. NO. I want to be warm. I was looking for a practical jacket, came across the fancy ones, and solicited feedback out of curiosity. That's all. California did make me soft, for sure. My dad worked in Northen Russia and I stayed there as a child. I still remember the rule of thumb: if your spit hit the ground as ice it is -40 Celsius (same in Fahrenheit) - yay, no school!

IMO you want a nice wind proof water proof shell, and then a couple sweaters and long sleeve shirts. Bonus: you can use them in CA and probably already own sweaters. A cheap cotton/polyester filled ski/snowboard jacket would do fine as a shell, one nice thing about some of those is they have the extra long ones that keep you a bit more comfortable and keep you from losing heat so much when you sit down, covers you to the upper thigh or so.

Yes, "have gone soft" + strong winds from Baltic sea + very high humidity (makes it feel colder) + jet lag of 11 hours (makes you even softer). All of the above has made me look for a warm yet lightweight jacket, hence, the post.

Clothing depends on what you're doing and where you're staying more than outdoor temperature. Snow shoveling for 20 minutes and you're soaked in sweat, but travel gets cold since you're doing a lot of sitting and not moving in drafty uncomfortable places. If I were going to Russia I'd be loaded for bear.

One funny thing happened to me when I went to my in laws in China, it was like 40F, so I packed t-shirts and a very light jacket thinking it would be fine, and left all my cold weather gear at home where it actually freezes. It turns out they don't heat indoor areas and leave the windows open for fresh air, I was miserable! I layered 4 or so shirts under my jacket and still felt cold. They also have different viruses you aren't immune to floating around so be prepared to be sick for extra misery.

So bring a few sweaters and a shell and worst case you can layer them all together and not be miserable if your family leaves the windows open and the heat off.

What Augustus said.
You would be amazed what wool socks, thermal underwear and a merino long sleeve base layer can do.

This said, I found both Canada goose and Moncler to be very overpriced.
If you want to get something a bit “cool”, Woolrich is a much better bang for the buck. I bought it to be dressed ok for work (I’m in sales) and it cost me 250€ on sale.